Shloka 2
राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता
Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement
भीष्म उवाच विदिता: सर्व एवेह धर्मास्तव युधिष्ठिर । यथा मम महाबाहो विदिता: साधुसम्मता:
bhīṣma uvāca | viditāḥ sarva eveha dharmās tava yudhiṣṭhira | yathā mama mahābāho viditāḥ sādhusammatāḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô Yudhiṣṭhira, toutes les formes de dharma connues en ce monde te sont déjà connues. Ô toi aux bras puissants, les mêmes dharmas que je connais—ceux que les vertueux approuvent et honorent—te sont connus à toi aussi.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma affirms that Yudhiṣṭhira already possesses knowledge of dharma, especially the dharmas validated by virtuous authorities (sādhus). The verse emphasizes that true dharma is not merely personal opinion but what is recognized and honored by the morally exemplary.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Bhishma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and frames the forthcoming counsel by acknowledging Yudhiṣṭhira’s prior understanding of righteous conduct, aligning Bhishma’s own knowledge with what Yudhiṣṭhira already knows.